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Asuka Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
1266 Westwood BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90024
Neighborhood: Westwood
(310) 474-7412
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
53 reviews for Asuka Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Ishii Roll, Nomo Roll, Matsui Roll- they're known for these..." In 2 reviews -
"The Spicy Tuna on Rice Cakes always satisfy my cravings too..." In 2 reviews -
"My boss goes at least once a week, and when I'm feeling..." In 3 reviews
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53 reviews in English
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Review from Jung K.
Beverly Hills, CA
4/14/2012 10 photos
Time Arrival: 5:00 P.M. on Thursday
Parking: 3/5
Located in the center of westwood, it is easily assumed that the parking might be difficult. However, Asuka offers a valet parking next to it's restaurant, which is around $3.50, but it is still better than trying to find a parking spot around the westwood neighborhood. I've been so many restaurants in westwood area that did not offer any parking so i had to look for a street parking. At least, Asuka has a valet available!
Also, there are about 10~15 coin parking spots available within 100ft, so if you get lucky, you do not need to go for the valet parking!
Interior: 3/5
As soon as you enter the restaurant, you might feel that the restaurant is little bit dark and gloomy compare to the other japanese restaurants in the neighborhood. However, it wasn't much of a big deal to me because it actually felt somewhat like an authentic traditional japanese restaurant. However, little bit of upgrades on interior will definitely help the restaurant a lot!
Service: 4/5
I dont know why people are complaining about the services of the restaurant. There was a hostess waiting in the entrance to greet me. As soon as i sat down, a server came to take my drink order. Overall, it was not a bad experience at all. Server checked on me at least 3 times while i was eating to see if everything is ok!
I've worked as a server at a japanese restaurant before and it is very tiring, sometimes you have a off-day too. you might end up with a server who just started to work and might get a bad service. However, as far as my visit to asuka goes, it was a well organized restaurant
Food: 4/5 Price: $$$
I have uploaded the menu, as you can see, it is bit pricey compare to the japanese restaurant in other neighborhood. (ichiban, octopus, kabuki)
I am a sushi fanatic, and i am very picky when it comes to sushi/rolls. It was bit pricey compare to other franchise japanese restaurants, but it was a good meal. I had Ishii Roll, Matsui Roll, and a tempura udon.
To be honest, majority of the japanese restaurants have somewhat similar rolls with different names, and Ishii roll and Matsui roll are the same too. However, they didn't taste bad at all, they were very fresh and tasty. They didn't mess it up!
Presentation: 3/5
Nothing unique, just a roll on a sushi plate.
Will I visit Asuka Again? Yes
Yes i will visit asuka again! Parking is not free, interior might be outdated, and the food might be expensive compare to other "franchise" japanese restaurants. But the food tasted great and the service was not bad at all. Located close to UCLA, I will definitely visit Asuka when i am craving sushi! -
Review from Peter C.
Today I was hurrying for lunch and on a whim I tried Asuka, forgetting that the average review is only 3 stars. I'm giving 2 stars because I wasn't too happy about my lunch.
I ordered tempura & California rolls for lunch, which came to $13, pre-tax and tip. That's not terrible, but the equivalent lunch at Yamato is $9, and the lunch at Yamato tastes way better! The tempura batter at Asuka is too dense, and the sweet potato that I got was still hard in the center. California rolls were ok, but the salad is just boring iceberg lettuce with a pretty strange dressing on the side. At Yamato, you also get cucumber salad, edamame & fruit salad. Or at the ramen place a few doors down, you get a box lunch for half price. Even lunch at oh-so fancy Sprazzo is rarely more than $10. It's my own fault for not listening to the Yelp consensus. I'd go to about a hundred other places before trying Asuka again. -
Review from Lindsay D.
Westlake Village, CA
3/20/2012
Tried this place for New years with my boyfriend. We had never seen it and we live right in Westwood so we decided to give it a shot. The service was great, almost every 5 to 10 minutes someone would come by and refill our waters and when we ordered, we got our rolls within 10 minutes. They changed out our plates after we had some kobe beef that had sauce on it so we could enjoy our rolls. The guy behind the Yakatori bar even gave us a cooked sample of 2 different meats for free which was very nice.
We have came twice so far, both times with excellent service and food. The Eel roll and Crunchy Shrimp roll was awesome. I think it is fairly priced. We will be coming again here for sure :) -
Review from Amy C.
2/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Service- 1 star. Food- 3 stars.
Came here for lunch the other day because I had 2 hours to kill. Man, what a mistake!
It took a while for someone to greet me and seat me. Since I was eating alone, she seated me at this table behind the wall, next to the door. Shitty table, but it was either that or the sushi bar. I didn't feel like sitting at the bar.
I get the menus and it takes another 15 minutes for the ONE waitress to come over and take my order. Meanwhile, she's just running around taking orders to other tables. The busboy came over to ask me what I wanted to drink and when I told him I wanted to order and that it had been a while, he said that the waitress would have to take my order. Well, get her over here! Geez.
When she finally showed up, she didn't even apologize, just asked me if I was ready to order. Yeah, like 15 minutes ago. I opted for the lunch special for $13.
Grilled salmon, rice, miso soup, iceberg lettuce salad and 2 pieces of white tuna sushi. The sushi came out first and it was pretty damn good! Surprisingly. Then, 10 minutes later the rest of the food appeared and I dug in. I liked the grilled salmon but it was lacking in flavor. The salad was a generic salad but what do you expect for a lunch special?
I asked for the check and it took another 10 minutes to arrive. But, once I paid in cash (they only take credit card for bills over $20), she was pretty quick to bring me my change.
NO, I would not go back. I don't think it's asking for much to get decent service.
PIX- http://bit.ly/wC7fRf -
Review from Jackson P.
Huntington Beach, CA
12/27/2011
Asuka has been consistently good since I've been coming (years and years now). You can always count on fresh and well cut sushi and sashimi. I particularly love the albacore platter with ponzu sauce. Their tuna and yellowtail (hamachi) is always tasty and melts in your mouth. The eel and sweet shrimp are always a nice treat.
I never really eat the cooked dishes but they look and smell great.
In addition to the delicious Japanese food, what I love about Asuka is coming and, even if I am alone, I can spend the lunch hour talking to the sushi chefs, who are all good-humored and funny. On weekends it can get crowded but small parties can usually get a place at the sushi bar. Large parties should come early in the evening before the rush.
I don't understand the review rating average but it seems most people are complaining about parking and the interior design of the restaurant. Of course parking in Westwood is a disaster but it's not the restaurant's fault. With regard to the interior, I prefer a simple interior and great food over an ultra-chic and modernly decorated place with mediocre food (often you pay for the decor).
Come to this simple, down-to-Earth sushi restaurant expecting to eat well and be treated with kindness by the personnel. Ideal for right before or after a movie in the neighborhood. -
Review from Celia S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/5/2012
I've been going to Asuka for probably 5 years now. It's my go-to take out place. Not cheap if you eat for 3 like me, but definitely is consistent.
Rolls I like:
Isshi Roll
Spicy Salmon Roll
Nomo Roll
Emma Roll
Dishes I like:
Black Cod
Agadashi Tofu
If you are in the area and have a sushi craving, you can't go wrong with Asuka. The rice is cooked perfectly and the fish is fresh. It's not Nobu, Katsuya, or even Kiriala, but it's holds its own. A hundred times better than Wokcano, but what isn't? ;) -
Review from Linda C.
2.5*
This place needs a remodel badly cuz it's stuck in a time warp with it's red vinyl booths and wood everywhere and the color palate is just.... awful! Kinda reminded me of a bad Chinese restaurant in a small town....and for all that... it's surprisingly pricey!
As the night went on, I quickly realized that most of the people who walked in are regulars! We were the only 'newbies'....
I enjoyed the monkey brains and the salmon-avacado roll. I like that they have mochi ice cream on their menu though I doubt it's made in house.
... don't know how they do it but they're alive and kicking in this bad economy! Good on them! -
Review from Jacquelyn K.
West Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA
1/28/2012
My weekly sushi restaurant that provides great food, staff and comedy (if you sit at the sushi bar with Jimmy - the most entertaining sushi chef you will meet)....fish is fresh, and ask for recommendations as they will tell you what has been caught that day...snowwhite roll and nomo roll are amazing, and the red crab and avocado on soy paper are a must! No better place for a lunch special and happy hour on the west side!
-
Review from Jim B.
San Francisco, CA
3/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I do not know why this place gets such low ratings. The one star based on parking is totally unfair. The maguro has way more fish than rice which is awesome and very generous. The saba marinated in konbu dashi takes saba to another level that you just don't get in most American sushi places. The unagi melts in your mouth. The uni is bright yellow and firm. The tomago is done with flair and is so fluffy and juicy.
One thing that this place really excels at is the Chirashi which is rice with sashimi placed on top.
Sure the decor is from the 80s and needs updating but I would rather have them spend money on quality cuisine.
Also, at a time when other sushi places were serving radioactive fish from Japan, this place made sure to get its fish either locally or from South Korea. -
Review from Leroy B.
Los Angeles, CA
10/17/2011
Excellent High Quality Sushi without breaking the bank. Been eating here about 1-2x per month for the last 7 years and yes, the decor is a bit tired but this is Yelp, not the Zagat guide. Ratings are for FOOD. You can comment on the decor in your review...but don't ding it in the ratings! Completely under-rated...The fish quality is excellent and fresh. Anyone looking for a "bargain", head north of Wilshire into the village and look for the sushi restaurants advertising cheap sake bombs in the window. Go feed your family there.
Total local spot...mostly regulars here. Go sit at the Sushi Bar and ask to be seated with Jimmy and you'll become a regular too. -
Review from Candy S.
Los Angeles, CA
5/19/2011
I just don't understand this restaurant.
The fact that Asuka has been in westwood for over 10 years, longer than any other Japanese restaurant in the area, makes me wonder if I am missing something. Hill and I stopped by for dinner one night and had trouble finding even just one thing likable about our meal....except probably that it filled our stomachs. While nothing was terrible, nothing was particularly memorable either. Also, everything was pretty overpriced for mediocre quality. There was no character to the restaurant and the food was bland.
Nevertheless I notice every now and then that this place can get pretty busy around dinner time on weekend and weeknights alike. Baffling. -
Review from Niko X.
Los Angeles, CA
10/15/2008
The atmosphere here is decidedly 70s early 80s...but it works given its location next to the flashy neon Crest Theater.
My party arrived at 7:30 on a Tuesday and the room was utterly dead. This fact combined with the decor set a decidedly depressing mood. The fact is I didn't come here for atmosphere though... I really just wanted some fish.
The polite woman waitress served us edamame as we perused the menu. Miso followed and I ordered both the mackerel and uni nigiri; as well as both the maguro tuna and soft shell crab rolls.
The fish was of excellent quality and texture...though I thought the rice was molded a bit too loosely.
I have to complain a bit about the presentation of the soft shell crab. Now don't get me wrong it was BEAUTIFUL. But how the hell are you supposed to eat it when it's prepared in a too loosely wrapped roll twice the girth of standard futomaki? It was an absolute mess of a disaster to eat...but absolutely delicious. I must have looked like such a douche bag eating it though...and I'm not a fan of looking ungraceful in anything I do. -
Review from Koom D.
New York, NY
10/15/2008
Sashimi platter: ~$22. You know my resourceful @ss was thinking "oh this will be a nice amount to satiate two of us, and we can share a beef combo to cap the meal. Nope.
The large platter arrived, with tons of empty space on it. There were 8-10 pieces of sashimi on it. But damn. This is some of the cleanest sashimi I've ever had.
I'm no sushi connoisseur like some are. I can't afford to eat like that, or maintain a BMW. But, I know good ass fish, b/c I tried the stuff at Sushi Mac (cheap, college budget stuff) and it was FAR inferior.
If you can afford it, don't mind dropping $60-$70 for food only, for a couple, come. I think this place is great. -
Review from Lorraine L.
Los Angeles, CA
3/2/2009
I went here for dinner on a Friday night and it was packed. Asuka doesn't serve the greatest sushi, it's good quality, but not fantastic for the prices. However they certainly make up for that with generous portions, hospitality and good service. I definitely recommend the special tuna when they have it (direct from japan) and the yellow tail was also delicious. The cuts were also larger than what you get at most higher-end sushi restaurants. They also have platters for $22 if you're not feeling like making decisions.
They also have some of the friendliest and attentive servers I have ever encountered. I don't know if maybe they were studying old yelp reviews, but our server came by often asking if we needed any drink refills or if we wanted to order anything else. The owner, manager perhaps, also came over to make sure we were okay and even offered us free dessert. I am guessing he recognized we were new clientele and wanted to give us a reason to come back. Their excellent service earned them an extra star. I am easily swayed by offers of free ice cream, so we'll definitely be coming back. I am sure this will become our neighborhood sushi joint, especially if they keep giving me free dessert. -
Review from Jenn S.
4/20/2007
I've only been here twice for lunch but I absolutely love it! I wish I could afford to eat here everyday.
Fresh seafood, great selection on the menu, daily specials, reasonable prices and friendly service. The only downside is the decor...it looks like something from the 70s. But who cares what the place looks like if they have high quality food.
Things I've had:
Ishii Roll, Nomo Roll, Matsui Roll- they're known for these rolls. you must try them.
Lobster Tempura Roll
Kobe Beef tataki sushi- the meat is as tender as a piece of fish.
Blue Fin O-Toro sushi (from Spain!)- they claimed it was the best toro and they were right! The fish melted in my mouth. I couldn't believe the freshness and rich toro taste.
I'm drooling just thinking about it.... -
Review from Iniko B.
Seattle, WA
11/3/2007
Terrible, unhelpful, and disinterested service. They get defensive if you have any complaint. Almost the Sushi Dan of Westwood.
Worst, most confrontational service ethic ever. We ordered gyoza (lightly fried pot stickers) and they came to us charred and with black, ashy flakes on the plate. They obviously overcooked or reused old oil to fry them. When we asked for a replacement, they had the audacity to pushback and say that blackened gyoza is "Japanese-style". After much discussion on gyoza cooking techniques they finally removed the order from our bill. Fucking idiots. And there was still no follow-up or uptick in service.
Expansive, yet overpriced menu. For example, their daily grilled lunch special is a tiny watery, bland salad, four small skewers of a meat of your choice, and a miso soup. You have to ASK for rice, even if they don't charge you for it. $12 for the meal and the experience. Also, their sushi is hit or miss. You'll get a much better value and experience at Hide Sushi on Sawtelle.
I can't help but think Asuka has seen better days. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2012
Good service, good sushi, and great lunch specials available. The servers have remembered my co-worker and me when we've returned, which is always a nice plus!
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Review from KK B.
Seattle, WA
5/23/2007
Updated:
changing it to one star from three.
had a horrible lunch here today. ordered gyoza and they were burnt. it's not just dark brown, it was BLACK, surrounded by burnt crust on the plate. i complained and they looked at me like i'm an idiot, and said 'this is japanese style'... wtf? i didn't know japanese people burn their gyoza. the old man there, probably the owner, came to talk to me in korean and he was also total a$$. eventually i returned the food and they took it off from the bill, but again, it was just unpleasant.
udon soup is just whatever, their grilled specials at $12 is a total rip-off.
what the hell were we thinking? will avoid visiting this place again at all costs.
================================================== ===
pretty big space, no decoration, huge sushi bar. went for lunch after reading good reviews on yelp and some other review sites. well...
1. hot tea - they charge $1, old and dirty tea pot, water tooooo hot, almost boiling, tea cup not so clean
2. miso soup - pretty good
3. a la carte sushi - scallop was our favorite. chopped and marinated with mayo(?) kinda sauce topped with masago... yummy. baby hamachi was pretty good, but regular hamachi, blue fin tuna, chu toro, ama ebi, salmon, mackerel, uni... are mediocre... disappointing. especially blue fin chu toro and ama ebi are definitely not worth the price. (almost $10 per order)
4. service - harmless, but actually they screwed up our a la carte order a little. fixed it later, but staff doesn't seem to be very attentive or professional.
5. overall, overpriced and overrated ($67 lunch for two with 10 kinds of sushi) for the quality
would i go back? probably. they do have some good stuff, and i haven't tried the usual lunch stuff. after all, it is better than other japanese places i've tried in westwood village area.
tips: their special sushi isn't so special and way over priced. hot tea in that dirty pot isn't worth $1. their chu toro does NOT melt in your mouth. ama ebi isn't so good, but they offer to make your miso soup with the shrimp head. we just got fried, but i think in the miso soup would've been much better. not worth driving there for lunch if you don't work in walking distance. -
Review from angela n.
12/26/2007
I'm no sushi expert, but I did like the tender sweet egg (tamago). I also enjoyed the pleasantly dense green tea mochi dessert.
My husband and his brother remarked that the spicy tuna didn't taste very good, and that the sushi in general was kind of messy, falling apart easily.
Overall, a decent choice for pre-movie dining, if a bit on the pricey side. -
Review from Dorothy S.
Westwood, CA
4/8/2008
Asuka was another one of those places that I really wanted to like. But alas...
From the outside, the place looked promising but that was not to be the case. Went there with a couple of friends and though they seemed to enjoy the food, I was far from impressed. The first red light went off when the miso soup came...with spoons!! That's always a sign of warning at Japanese restaurants for me. But I let that slide, giving it the benefit of the doubt.
My Chirashi assortment arrived ($22). Hmm...slab of wasabi was provided. No soy sauce, no soy sauce plate. But again, I let that slide - after all, it doesn't take much effort to wave a waitress down and ask for one. Time came to actually eat the food. VERY lacklustre. I mean, it wasn't moldy warm (after all, I didn't regurgitate anything) but it definitely wasn't grade A. The salmon was fresh, I'll give them that...but the tuna was very normal.
The service was very mixed too. The waitresses seemed unattentive but the (I'm assuming) manager was really friendly and nice. Seriously, if it weren't for him, I'd be giving this place 1 star.
I was pretty happy after the meal, mostly because my two friends seemed to REALLY enjoy it and: a) that made me happy in itself and b) I didn't want to rain on their parade by saying "that sucked".
In all honesty, the prices were pretty steep considering the food quality. I'd say it was no better than Ami sushi. The only difference is that the main clientele is older.
I'll probably go back - see if they were just having an off day or something. But as of now, Asuka is 2 star status. -
Review from Justin P.
Los Angeles, CA
1/6/2010
We used to go to Asuka once a week for fairly priced and always good sushi with our favorite chef Masa behind the bar. Recently we learned that Masa was moved to the back kitchen but the other chefs were very helpful so no problems there. We used to get fast and attentive service, in and out to make a movie with no problem.
The last three times we have visited Asuka have been some of the most terrible experiences I have ever had in a restaurant. They are clearly understaffed and attempting to fill numerous take out orders from the sushi bar right on top of the people sitting there.
This last Sunday night, my girlfriend and I decided to give it one last shot hoping they had snapped out of this rough patch. We sat down and immediately noticed about 12 styrofoam takeout boxes waiting to be filled in front of us. After waiting about ten minutes (it was 6PM and there were maybe 12 people in the whole place) we finally put in a drink order. We attempted to order some sushi twice, both times being told "Just give me a few more minutes please". After twenty minutes of not even being allowed to order food we gave up. I left a 5 dollar bill for the two iced teas, got up and left. No one tried to stop me or ask what was wrong (they knew and had clearly seen it before). Being that they know us and we come regularly that was disappointing.
I have always assumed that if a place is going to do take-out orders, they should let people know how long it will take while serving dine-in customers first. I will never be going back to Asuka again, which is very sad after being a regular there for the last four years. There are too many other places in the neighborhood where you won't put up with that kind of thing. It makes me sad more than angry that they can't get it right. Be careful in this place if you are trying to make a movie next door at the Crest. I wold only recommend it if you have plenty of patience and tolerance, or you are not very hungry! -
Review from X P.
Omaha, NE
9/28/2008
I was desperately looking for a restaurant in Westwood because my friends were visiting. Asuka was not on the list when I searched on yelp this afternoon because I bypassed anything with fewer than 4 stars.
Let's say we accidentally walked into this place because we were too lazy to walk further south. We were not expecting much because its decor didn't suggest that the food would be good. We were wrong. None of us are Japanese food experts but we loved all the rolls we ordered anyway. They were really fresh and very reasonably priced.
Most of the servers didn't speak English fluently, so at first it's as if they weren't paying attention or didn't seem to care. Eventually though, we realized they were some of the nicest people we could ever have as servers! That alone deserved 5 stars!
When we're finally done and asked about calling a cab, our cashier immediately placed a call for us. When we started looking at the framed autographed pictured near the door, the old man (the manager?) started introducing those people to us. What's more, when I was staring at Luc Robitaille's picture (when he won the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2002), he asked if I knew who that hockey player was, and eventually he gave me one of his signed pictures...
Why am I telling you all these? Because I want you to like this place as much as I do :) -
Review from Kenn M.
Los Angeles, CA
5/5/2010
Tried this place because we live nearby and the kids were hungry - i.e. couldn't wait another ten minutes to get to our favourite, Hara Sushi on Wilshire.
Anyway, this place was really lame. Never again.
Bad start having to pay three bucks to park - you can't validate for the restaurant? Old school decor inside, and not in a good way - no atmosphere,bland, flat colors and interior design. Dirty bathrooms. Basically, the bare minimum of 'what will do', no care taken in presentation.
Sushi was room temperature and uninspiring. Tempura was food court style. Miso tasted like it was straight from a pack: acceptable, but underwhelming for what you'd expect in a restaurant.
All in all it was a place that thought - and charged - like it was a restaurant, when really it was barely acceptable for a takeaway joint.
Then the bill came. Ninety-seven bucks? For two adults and two kids under ten eating one course? I nearly fell out of my chair. We've paid eighty total, with tip, for what felt like a royal banquet in quantity and quality at one of our other favourites, Yamato in Westwood.
So a real disappointment, and the first and last time. One star for the lovely waitress who was friendly and attentive - just a shame what she was serving didn't measure up.
One star for the lovely waitress who was friendly and attentive - just a shame what she was serving didn't measure up. -
Review from Captain G.
New York, NY
7/13/2011
I'm generally harsh on giving out 4 stars unless the restaurant deserves it. Asuka has excellent fish -- cooked and uncooked. Sake selection is also decent. Asuka is one of my favorite sushi joints in LA. The downside to this restaurant is ambiance and appearance which is why they are not at 4 stars.
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Review from Melissa S.
Culver City, CA
7/23/2009
I have been going to this restaurant since I was a kid - over 30 years. It's where my Dad introduced all of us to sushi in the early '70s... oy! I am dating myself! So, a little nostalgia may be mixed in, but I always enjoy my meal here.
The sushi is always fresh & delicious - Sammi the Sushi Chef is very personable & fills our requests & even remembers that I enjoy Rice Paper on some rolls instead of seaweed.
On the non-sushi side, I love their Sukiyaki. So I am covered whatever I am craving.
I am giving it 4 instead of 5 for their prices. They are a bit steep for some menu items & sushi rolls.
Overall, enjoyable. -
Review from Shahboz K.
Toluca Lake, CA
10/5/2007
**Updated**11/6/07 Shintaro no longer works at this establishment. So the below review is now Null and Void. I leave it so people can read how awesome it was! now I will never go again.
One word SHINTARO! when you go there aske to sit at the bar, and ask to sit in his section. The man is a sushi maniac. I do not know how his sushi tatse more delicious than anyone elses. It just does! Any place can make good Albacore and california rolls but asuka has the Best sea urchin I have had in la. Try the Super white fish. Amazing, They have a grill too. I mostly eat sushi but thier Grill Master Taka can cook some mean meat and veggies. Everything is great, a little pricy. worth it. I can not eat sushi anywhere else now, so be prepared for that. -
Review from Aya T.
12/26/2010
Asuka is an ok neighborhood spot for sushi. The portions are big and they had decent lunch specials. I tried the Tuna plate which came with a spicy tuna roll, albacore, white tuna and maguro sushi. The fish tasted ok, but the rice had a really strong vinegar taste to it which some people may like but it's not for me.
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Review from Aiko S.
Los Angeles, CA
4/26/2009
It's an average sushi restaurant. I think they are trying to be like they care about the taste, but not really. I ordered amaebi and asked miso soup with the shrimp head. The miso was so salty, I couldn't even finish drinking the soup. The service was ok, but the server was not really attentive.
I probably won't go back there. -
Review from Raymond H.
Los Angeles, CA
4/15/2010
Great neighborhood sushi spot to drop in and get your fix. No frills, and reasonably priced sushi makes this place perfect.
Fish is usually fresh, and they have interesting specials which you should always try. -
Review from Maxwell B.
Los Angeles, CA
4/8/2010
I went to Asuka for lunch with a friend last week and had both the sushi and robata grilled food. None of the grilled food (chicken breast, chicken meatballs, chicken in bacon, chicken wings, sirloin) was remarkable; most was palatable, but little more. Both the chicken breast with salt and chicken breast in bacon were overcooked. The meatballs consisted mostly of filler and utterly lacked flavor.
As for the sushi, I ordered the tuna, salmon, and spanish mackerel. I should have know I was in trouble when the waitress brought out six nigiri on a platter at the same time. The fish lacked freshness; it tasted as if it had been cut hours ago. With their essential oils dried out, the rolls gained their only flavor from the chef's over-agressive application of vinegar to the rice.
I should point out that the service was pleasant and attentive and that no part of the meal was truly abysmal. But with such a wide array of better options within minutes of Asuka, I shall not return anytime soon. -
Review from Richard K.
Pacific Palisades, CA
12/3/2010 1 photo
Friendly, fresh, tasty sushi bar. Always reliable.
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Review from Emily H.
Buckeye, AZ
6/6/2011
I live right down the street, and if I didn't, I would still drive the distance for their spicy tuna roll. So amazing. The price isn't too bad and they also have good lunch deals. I go at least once a week. :)
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Review from Tatiana I.
Santa Barbara, CA
12/5/2011
Great food and service.
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Review from James P.
6/26/2010
This place has been around since 1974, back when people were thinking that eating raw fish is way too weird of an idea. I can totally see a bell bottom wearing couple talking about this "new" thing called sushi that they just discovered. The rolls including the Phil Jackson are passable and the quality of the fish is pretty good. If you are seeing a movie at the Crest then it is not a bad stop and they can get you in and out pretty quick if you have a movie to catch.
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Review from Caries A.
Los Angeles, CA
10/5/2011
If you can get over the ambiance and just get there for the sushi, than this is the place for you! The quality of their fish is great, I highly recommend just ordering their specials and sitting at the bar.
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Review from James M.
Santa Monica, CA
6/22/2009
I have a real problem with warm fish when I order sashimi and every time I try this place the rice is not moist and the sushi is warm. Add to that the fact that the rolls and sashimi are comparable in price to Masu and a few other superior joints and I just can't give a positive review. Since I am bound to Asucka for work I have found solace in the tuna don bowl which is pretty hard to screw up even though I am still unhappy with the rice on the bottom.
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Review from Lyd A.
Burbank, CA
1/5/2007
I have to agree with everything the first reviewer said. This place is a little piece of heaven. I've been going for close to 4 years now, and the service and quality has never waned. The chefs are fun and helpful, always willing to suggest something new to try. I think they have the best yellowtail in town. And their unagi? YUM!!! Prices are very reasonable too!
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Review from pedro s.
Los Angeles, CA
8/29/2009
This is a great place to go to for some truly great sushi at terrifically low prices. Do yourself a favor and sit at the sushi bar and keep asking the sushi masters "what's good today?" They will do right by you and steer you in the right direction. This place has been in the same location for over 30 years and they're trustworthy. Some of my favorite sushi at Asuka includes the spicy tuna on deep fried rice cakes, the live sweet shrimp, which is topped with caviar and includes the deep fried head portion with tempura sauce shortly after. The fish is very fresh, but ask them "what's good today?" and you'll have the best experience.
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Review from - SoCal C D.
Los Angeles, CA
1/25/2010
My roommate and I eat sushi a lot. We have made this our favorite place not just because it's local but every time we go, the sushi is out of this world. The fish is always fresh, delicious and the combination of flavors - amazing. I love the small quaint setting, the kind service and the family owned feel. A hidden gem.
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Review from Joey Y.
Westwood, CA
9/17/2010
I likey. It's right next to work making it super convenient. The owner is super nice and bows down at the table an exceptional amount of times to welcome any guest.
